LUCANIA. Sybaris. Circa 550-510 B.C. AR stater. 7.97 gm. 28 mm. Bull standing left, head looking back, on dotted ground line; VM above / Same design, incuse and inverted. HN Italy 1729. SNG ANS 1817-1827. Near Extremely Fine; rich old iridescent toning; well struck on a particularly broad, full, even round flan, complete with border (rare thus). Beautiful example.

From an American collection formed in the late 1940's and early 1950's.

The town of Sybaris in Lucania was founded by Greeks around 720 B.C. on the instep of the Italian boot. It amassed vast wealth from its busy port and rich agricultural lands, and is frequently identified in ancient literature with ostentatious luxury–hence our word "sybarite," a self-indulgent lover of luxury. The cities of Greek southern Italy in the sixth and early fifth centuries BC developed the remarkable process, requiring precise flan preparation and die alignment, that was used to make this relief/incuse pattern.